MMN Editor

Judge Rejects States’ Attempt To Block Medicaid Work Requirements

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,

A federal judge on July 30 declined to block new work requirements for Medicaid recipients that states must implement by Jan. 1, 2027.

Judge Richard Stearns of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts turned down a request for a preliminary injunction made by Massachusetts and 25 other states to block the work requirements as the states’ legal challenge proceeds.

Stearns said in a six-page decision that the harms about which the states complained—added costs to comply with the new requirements—are largely reimbursable, since the federal government has said it will pay for 90 percent of the costs.

States have also complained that officials face a “tight timeline” to implement the requirements, which include mandating that beneficiaries aged 19 to 64 work, volunteer, or participate in job training for 80 or more hours per month. The timing, though, was set by Congress in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025, not by the defendant, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in its guidance on implementing the requirements, the judge said.

“There is a certain point at which damages fail to justify the issuance of such an extraordinary measure,” Stearns wrote later. “Plaintiffs have not shown that their damages rise above that minimal threshold here. Moreover, the additional costs that may be incurred by the States are unlikely to bloom disproportionately given the familiarity of the responsible state agencies with the tasks to be performed.”

Lawyers for the states and the government did not immediately return requests for comment.

In addition to the Jan. 1, 2027, deadline to implement changes, states in their motion for an injunction noted that under the guidance, they also must inform Medicaid recipients of the looming update in notices by Sept. 1.

The states also opposed the guidance on how to determine whether a person is medically frail, which would exempt them from the work requirements. The guidance suggests that in no case can states base their determinations of whether an individual is “medically frail” solely on their records that an individual has a “particular diagnosis or condition” and improperly limits the short-term hardship exception for individuals experiencing an emergency declared by the president to those who can establish that the emergency renders them unable to comply, state lawyers told the court.

Government lawyers said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delegated the definition of medically frail to the federal government, and the states are seeking to impose “arbitrary limits” on that authority. They also said the state plaintiffs had not met the standards for a preliminary injunction.

Stearns said on July 30 that the court’s denial of the injunction request “is not a reflection or anticipation of its ultimate views on the merits of the underlying litigation,” which will proceed.

“As illustrated in the pleadings and briefings to date (and in the arguments of counsel during the hearing), this case presents difficult issues regarding the scope of Congress’s delegation of interpretative authority to the Secretary and the faithfulness to Congressional intent with which the Secretary performed his task,” the judge stated.

“This, in turn, requires an examination of the data relied upon by the Secretary and the judgments (some medical) that underlay his amplification of Congress’s legislative outline.

“These are determinations that, in the view of the court, should be made on a developed record of the kind that informs a court’s decision at the summary judgment stage of a case.”

Tyler Durden
Fri, 07/31/2026 – 18:25

“Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings sparked online debate Thursday after using sarcasm to dismiss calls from transgender activists to boycott The New York Times’ word games.Jennings sarcastically claimed he received “express permission from the trans community” to keep his games subscription, taking aim at demands that readers boycott all New York Times products. The joke has since sparked pushback from transgender activists online, who accused him of trivializing their concerns.The exchange began on the social media platform Bluesky, where Jennings posted screenshots of the New York Times’ game Spelling Bee. He wrote, “My wife and I have a game where we try to invent the day’s grossest-sounding word on NYT Spelling Bee.”NY TIMES TORCHED FOR FATHER’S DAY ‘TRANS DAD’ ARTICLE CRITICS SAY SHOWS PAPER IS ‘CORRUPTING OUR CHILDREN’In response, a user on the platform reposted his comment, saying, “I wish people who care about trans people could understand that playing nyt games is still an insult to trans people.”In response to the user’s comment, Jennings replied, “This may be true of others but I actually got express permission from the trans community to keep NYT games and recipes. I also have a news subscription, which is arguably worse, so I had to specifically send in a written request. Took 30 days but I got approved.”Jennings added, “They were like ‘Trans people are not a monolith’ and ‘Like-minded allies may disagree on specific media boycotts’ and stuff like that. It was a huge load off my mind!”The user responded, “I was being sincere and serious, but thanks for turning it into a joke. that feels great.” On Friday, the user noted that Jennings had not contacted them since and made “no effort to apologize or acknowledge that he was an a–hole about trans people. No lessons learned it seems. I was really hoping for some sign he understood why people are so upset.”POWERFUL LGBTQ+ GROUP’S ENDORSEMENTS COULD TANK VULNERABLE DEMS OVER RADICAL YOUTH TRANS AGENDAIn the replies, some Bluesky commenters told Jennings to “read the f—ing room” and called his response “dismissive.” Others commented on his original post and questioned whether he was going to apologize for the comment.Journalist and “Blocked and Reported” podcast co-host Jesse Singal, who often reports on internet culture, told Fox News Digital that the outrage reflects the platform itself rather than everyday sentiment.”I’m guessing the average trans person is orders of magnitude more likely to play NYT games than to get mad at others for doing so,” he said. “Bluesky, like all hyperpartisan social-media platforms, has a tendency to concentrate users with extremely strong and rigid views in the same place, at which point certain ugly pressure-cooker dynamics set in, causing normies to flee for their sanity and leaving behind a group of addled internet-radicals engaged in a desperate game of rhetorical oneupmanship (there are no winners),” “You see a similar dynamic among certain right-wingers on X, in fact, where the craziest stuff naturally centers not on left-coded concerns like trans rights but on right-coded ones like immigration,” Singal added.For several years, transgender activists have spoken out against The New York Times over what they’ve described as anti-trans coverage, arguing that web traffic and subscriptions to products like its games financially support the outlet.In 2023, hundreds of New York Times contributors, along with thousands of subscribers, signed an open letter to the paper condemning its coverage of transgender issues. The LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD also sent a letter, calling out “irresponsible, biased coverage of transgender people.”KANSAS TEACHER SAYS SHE’LL CONTINUE USING STUDENTS’ PREFERRED PRONOUNS AS DISTRICT FACES FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONJennings has previously voiced support for transgender rights, even taking to Bluesky in July 2025 to call out California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stance on transgender youth, after Newsom stated he did not think it was fair for transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports.Responding to a user who said he would “never, ever” vote for Newsom, Jennings wrote, “This is correct. Any candidate cynically ‘triangulating’ on trans kids is a non-starter, and now is the time to say so. There’s still so much time to advance candidates that DON’T suck.”CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREFox News Digital reached out to Jennings for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Federal prosecutors moved Friday to dismiss a felony vandalism case against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, after he was accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., as seen in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital.Hearn was indicted July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property. U.S. Park Police alleged Hearn grabbed and tugged at a loose section of the pool’s coating on June 19, continuing after a National Park Service employee told him to stop. Officials initially claimed he caused more than $1,000 in damage.However, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office said the Department of the Interior initially provided prosecutors with “barebones” reports and failed to disclose records documenting extensive problems with the coating’s installation.FORMER US OLYMPIAN DAVID HEARN INDICTED IN ALLEGED REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM”Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote.”It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents to the USAO-DC indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (‘AIC’), and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”WHITE HOUSE CONDEMNS ‘TARGETED SABOTAGE’ OF REFLECTING POOL AS REPAIRS PUSHED PAST JULY 4 CELEBRATIONThe DOJ said the new evidence made it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hearn caused the damage. Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the indictment without prejudice, which would leave open the possibility of bringing the charge again.Hearn has previously beaten federal charges.Hearn was arrested by the U.S. Park Police nearly 30 years ago and ended up beating the charges, according to a 1996 Washington Post article.That year, the Potomac River turned violent, as intense, heavy rains pushed the water to a terrifying, near-record flood level of 60,000 cubic feet per second.Authorities immediately issued an emergency river closure. But Hearn took his whitewater canoe straight into the raging rapids, where officers later swooped in and arrested him.He was charged with failing to obey a lawful order. But Hearn fought the case in court and won on a stunning technicality. But a federal judge dismissed the charges, ruling the Potomac River is controlled by the state of Maryland, meaning the federal Park Police had zero jurisdiction over the water.Hearn’s arrest became a viral sensation after it was captured by journalist Emily Miller. Miller filmed a two-minute video of Hearn being detained, which quickly went viral on X.Miller accused Hearn of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Hearn denied the accusation, though he admitted his bike tire might have bumped it.Hearn’s attorneys are demanding an apology on behalf of the Olympian.CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP”The Trump administration’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology,” said Hearn’s attorneys Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin in a statement, per The New York Post.Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOI for comment.

Mandy Patinkin decided that when he dies, he wants his body to be composted.The 73-year-old said on his “Don’t Listen to Us” podcast that he remembered memorizing a speech from “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, “and it was about being in a box … But the idea — I’m very claustrophobic, very claustrophobic, and the idea of being put in a box, knowing that I’m going to be in a box when whatever I’m familiar with is drastically changed is just unacceptable to me. Period. Full stop.”The “Criminal Minds” star continued, “Don’t give me any business about, ‘Well, you’re not you, you’re not here, it’s a whole different thing.’ Excuse me. Not OK.”NICOLE KIDMAN PLANS ON BECOMING A DEATH DOULA AS SHE ADMITS IT ‘MAY SOUND A LITTLE WEIRD’And because of his Jewish heritage, he explained, “The other idea of being put in an oven is seared into my heritage genetics of the crematorium in Auschwitz, which I’ve visited. I can’t bear the idea of being burned.”He said that while he considers himself a “conservative Chicago Jew,” Orthodox Judaism dictates that “you must not do anything. You must not even let somebody do an autopsy on your body to study something, because when you go to the Olam Haba, the world beyond, you must be complete, because when the Messiah comes and everything is resurrected, and the Jews are waiting for that … you must be complete.”Patinkin joked that “you’ll be in the ‘Wizard of Oz’ looking for the parts” otherwise.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS”I can’t deal with the oven and I can’t deal with the box,” he said. “I love this idea so much because I don’t have to be burned, and I don’t have to be claustrophobic. I’m naturally put in this encasement that you’ve just described. I’m free to go to the Olam Haba, the world beyond, as complete. And then the organic process turns me into, you know, mulch, food, soil. And I’m not in an oven … I just am ecstatic over this.”CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERPatinkin was presented with the idea by a woman named Robyn who came on to his podcast to discuss her husband’s wish for an earth-friendly burial.Human composting involves putting a person’s body inside a vessel and covering it in organic material. The vessel breaks down the body through controlled heat, oxygen and moisture over a period of about a month, eventually becoming soil that is returned to the family.

President Trump has reportedly ordered another round of strikes against Iran with coordination from Israel. 
CBS reported that, according to multiple sources, the strikes could continue through the weekend and are expected to target Iranian energy infrastructure in the largest bombing campaign to date in the war.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to target Iranian power plants and bridges.
The President has also said that he is weighing a “massive” attack on Iran, which would be “bigger than ever before.”
“They haven’t received enough pain yet,” Trump said last week as US forces continued hitting Iran nightly for nearly two weeks.
“The Israelis have been notified and are coordinating with the United States, according to multiple U.S. sources,” per CBS. Trump had not given the final orders at the time of CBS’s reporting, but the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump ordered the strikes, which could begin as soon as this weekend.
Trump told reporters during his cabinet meeting at Camp David earlier, “We just want to win. We’re doing very well. We’re trying to be nice, as nice as you can be in a situation like that.”
“We’ll be hitting them very hard, and at some point they are going to say we just can’t take it anymore,” he added.
The US resumed strikes on Iran this week after nearly two weeks of nightly attacks earlier this month. Trump had called off the attacks to continue negotiations last Friday.
However, Iran launched what the US military called a “surprise attack” on US forces in the Middle East on Tuesday.
Trump said on Wednesday, “We’re going to beat the f*cking sh*t out of them,” following the attempted missile strikes on a US base. US forces launched attacks in Iran on Tuesday and Wednesday, but there were no reported strikes on Thursday.
US Central Command released footage of Wednesday night’s strikes after the roughly two-hour-long mission concluded.
WATCH:

Trump discussed Iran during a cabinet meeting earlier, where he suggested that the back and forth with Iran will likely continue.
“They’ll get weaker. They’ll get a little stronger maybe now, but they’ll get weaker, and then they peter out. Yeah, sure. I think so. I mean, it’d be foolish to say no. You always have to keep your guard up,” Trump said when asked if Americans should expect continued “back-and-forth attacks.”
“They always want to talk, but they break their word so often,” Trump added, noting that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are currently involved in negotiations.
“I’ll say they discussed nuclear, and they’ll go out, and they’ll say we never discussed nuclear, and I say, ‘Why do they say that?’ All they do is make me angry, you know. They just make me angry,” Trump also noted.
When asked if he still thinks a deal can be reached, Trump said, “I’m losing faith in them because they do lie, and they do misrepresent.”
WATCH:

This is a developing story. 

The post DEVELOPING: Trump Orders Fresh Round of Strikes Against Iran – US and Israel Expected to Hit Iranian Energy Targets in Largest Attack to Date appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Key Takeaways

If your searches need to comply with FCRA standards, Background Online’s pricing and breadth of information excels that of the competition. For casual searches, TruthFinder’s quick, simple platform makes it the best option.
Only some types of background check are regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which places limits on the kind of information that you can obtain on others.
People search sites can be a useful tool for finding relatives or doing reverse phone searches. For background checks on potential employees, domestic workers, or tenants, you’ll need to work with an FCRA-compliant company.
We evaluated over 40 data points across 20 vetted background check companies to ensure readers have accurate and helpful information about this type of service.

Our top picks for the best background check sites
People search background check sites
Unlike FCRA-compliant companies, these background search sites cannot be used for employment or tenancy purposes. You can, however, use them to conduct personal searches.

TruthFinder – Best Background Check Site Overall
Instant Checkmate – Best for Unlimited Reports
BeenVerified – Best for Vehicle Searches
Spokeo – Best for Budget Searches

FCRA-compliant background screening sites
The following background screening sites all comply with FCRA regulation on consumer reporting agencies, namely the information they can provide and what it can be used for. This means you may use them for employment and tenancy purposes.

Backgrounds Online – Best Background Screening Site Overall
Checkr – Best for Pre-employment Screenings
TransUnion SmartMove – Best for Tenant Screenings
GoodHire – Best for Small Businesses

Pros

Comprehensive reports with detailed personal data
User-friendly interface with mobile app support
Add-on for report downloads and monitoring
Sample report available

Cons

Flagged for FCRA violations and deceptive marketing practices
Subscription required to access reports
No free trial or single-report option

Why we chose it: TruthFinder offers highly detailed reports that cover a wide range of information, from personal assets to criminal records and employment history. Its app’s straightforward interface makes starting new searches and viewing existing reports easy.
Although the service only offers monthly plans — you won’t be able to pay for one-off reports — the price of TruthFinder’s services is slightly below that of other background check memberships. And for an additional $3.99/mo, it also lets you download reports as PDFs and monitor reports online for updates to their information.
It bears mentioning that TruthFinder was one of two background check sites which were fined $5.8 million by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2023 for deceiving users about the accuracy of their reports. The company was asked to implement monitoring, disclose material connections and permanently comply with FCRA guidelines, among other things.

TruthFinder Pricing

Membership

Price

Benefits

People Search

$28.33/mo or $47.03 bimonthly

Unlimited person reports, unlimited location reports

Reverse Phone Lookup

$4.99/mo

Unlimited phone reports

Reverse Email Lookup

$29.73/mo

Unlimited person reports, unlimited email reports

Reports may include: first and last name, known aliases, physical address, photos, social media profiles, location history, associated persons, related persons, birth information, phone numbers, email addresses, employment history, educational history, possible associates, business ownership, assets, criminal records, traffic records, court records.
*See disclaimer below for more information.

Pros

Unlimited person or phone reports
Transparent pricing structure
Sample report available
Quick turnaround times

Cons

Flagged for FCRA violations and deceptive marketing practices
Expensive people search membership
No options for single reports

Why we chose it: Instant Checkmate offers unlimited searches, making it ideal for anyone who needs to conduct background checks regularly. It’s especially thorough when it comes to criminal information, featuring search functions for inmates and traffic, criminal and arrest records.
Another highlight of the platform is its streamlined interface that makes navigation easy — both on browsers and on the handy mobile app. On the other hand, Instant Checkmate’s lack of single-report purchase option means it isn’t as cost-effective for those who only need occasional searches.
Like TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate was penalized by the FTC in 2023 for deceptive business practices. It also agreed to settle charges in 2014 for violating FCRA guidelines. While not necessarily a deal breaker — the company was placed under monitoring by the FTC both times — it’s something to consider when choosing a background check site.

Instant Checkmate Pricing

Membership

Price

Benefits

Person Reports

$35.47/mo or $85.13 every three months

Unlimited person reports, unlimited location reports, report monitoring

Phone Reports

$5.99/mo

Unlimited phone reports

Reports may include: birth information, photos, phone numbers, social media profiles, email addresses, address history, employment history, educational history, business ownership, assets, criminal records, traffic records, court records.
*See disclaimer below for more information.

Pros

VIN, license plate and owner detail lookup
Mobile app designed for vehicle searches
Well-organized reports with multiple data sources
Niche services like unclaimed money search

Cons

Less comprehensive people searches
Limited to 100 reports per month
Lack of transparency in pricing

Why we chose it: BeenVerified does VIN and license plate lookups, which provide valuable insight into a car’s past, including accidents, market value, recalls, warranty and ownership history. This makes it a go-to option for used car buyers, automotive professionals and others who may need to run a vehicle history check.
Like other popular background check sites, BeenVerified also features a mobile app to search people, phone numbers, emails and physical addresses. However, it also offers an app specifically for carrying out vehicle checks, making it even easier to keep track of several car records at once.

BeenVerified Pricing

Membership

Price

Benefits

1 Month Membership

$36.89/mo

Up to 100 reports per month which include: background reports, contact information, phone lookups, email lookups, criminal records

3 Month Membership

$71.94 every three months

Same benefits as 1 Month Membership

Reports may include: full name, date of birth, city/state history, phone numbers, email addresses, photos, possible relatives and associates, traffic records, criminal records, court proceedings, litigation history, bankruptcy proceedings, education history, employment history, business associations, social media platforms, blogs and websites.
*See disclaimer below for more information.

Pros

Pay per month or per report

Results from billions of records
Quick searches for basic information
Report monitoring included in membership

Cons

Less comprehensive searches than competitors
Lack of transparency regarding price
No mobile app

Why we chose it: Unlike the other people finding services on our list, Spokeo lets you pay per individual search instead of forcing you into a subscription. This makes it considerably more affordable (and convenient) than the competition for occasional searches. And if you happen to need a large volume of reports, its $29.95/month membership isn’t expensive compared to other sites.
But Spokeo’s affordability comes at the cost of depth. Its reports are broad, but not as detailed as those of more premium services — they lack detail in criminal history and financial records, for example — and the platform’s short turnaround times can sometimes backfire, leading to inaccuracies.
Reports may include: names, aliases, phone numbers, email addresses, birth information, marital status, education level, hobbies and interests, current and past addresses, nearby residents, neighbors, property records, lifestyle data, investments, estimated salary, family members, household demographics, social media profiles, usernames, dating sites, music and gaming accounts. Criminal records, DUIs and sex offenses also available for an additional fee.
*See disclaimer below for more information.

*DISCLAIMER: You may not use the non-FCRA approved service mentioned in this article or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. This service doesn’t provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency. (These terms have special meanings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., (“FCRA”), which are incorporated herein by reference.)
The information available on this website may not be 100% accurate, complete, or up to date. Do not use it as a substitute for your own due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal history. The service doesn’t make any representation or warranty about the accuracy of the information available through their service or about the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more information, please review the service’s Terms of Use.
All product names, logos, brands, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Pros

Extensive national and international database
Customizable screening packages
Advanced compliance features
Deep ATS integration

Cons

Requires professional account setup
Limited self-service options

Why we chose it: Backgrounds Online checks all the marks when it comes to a great screening service — comprehensive reports, transparent pricing, position-specific searches and advanced solutions for compliance, to name a few. It also has one of the best reputations in the industry, with positive feedback from customers on several reputable review sites like the BBB.
For compliance, the Applicant Self-Submittal feature allows the people you screen to see and approve all necessary compliance documents. Then, Backgrounds Online produces a report for you to make more informed hiring decisions. The platform can sync applicant tracking systems (ATS) with its internal web application, allowing you to request checks while providing the necessary information that is available in its database.

Backgrounds Online Pricing

Membership

Starting price

Screenings

Basic

$29.95 / report

SSN trace, county criminal court search, national criminal database, sex offender registry search, terrorist watch list search

Standard

$49.95 / report

SSN trace, 7-year county criminal court search, 7-year federal criminal court search national criminal database, sex offender registry search, terrorist watch list search, wants & warrants search

Comprehensive

$99.95 / report

SSN trace, 7-year county criminal court search, 7-year federal criminal court search national criminal database, sex offender registry search, terrorist watch list search, wants & warrants search, 3 employment verifications, 1 education verification

For custom packages, Background Online provides an à la carte experience. You can choose between 22 options as you are guided by a dedicated account manager.

Pros

Built-in compliance and HR support

Fast turnaround time on results
Simple, transparent pricing
Configurable workflows

Cons

Some issues with inaccurate checks
Support only available via email

Why we chose it: Checkr hosts a variety of dynamic compliance features, including candidate assessment, online adverse action and individualized assessment tools. These tools streamline the recruitment process, which is otherwise rife with regulatory requirements that change frequently and vary region to region.
Background checks are not only a headache for hiring teams, but can also expose your company to compliance risks — violations and litigation can cost a business millions. Checkr’s “compliance engine” combats this by keeping employers updated with evolving regional laws.

Checkr Pricing

Tier

Starting price

Screenings

Basic+

$29.99 / report

SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist search, national criminal search

Essential

$59.99 / report

SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist search, national criminal search, unlimited county criminal search

Complete

$94.99 / report

SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist search, national criminal search, unlimited county criminal search, unlimited state criminal search, federal criminal search

The options listed above are only valid for businesses that run less than 300 background checks per year. Custom packages are available for those that run more.

Pros

Specialized tenant background screening
Credit reports directly from TransUnion
Eviction and criminal history checks
Direct tenant invitation process

Cons

Less comprehensive for commercial properties
Flagged by the FTC and CFPB for inaccurate reports
Potential privacy concerns

Why we chose it: TransUnion SmartMove pulls credit data directly from the credit giant, providing deep financial insights into a potential tenant’s history. The platform’s criminal records and eviction reports help give a fuller picture of an applicant’s risk level, while its pay-per-report pricing model keeps the service free until you decide to fully process an applicant.
One of SmartMove’s standout features is the ResidentScore, a number that predicts the likelihood of eviction, making it easier for property managers to process potential renters. Another one is that landlords don’t have to pay for reports — they can ask applicants to cover the cost instead during the process. And although customization options and on the platform are limited, the system is easy to use.

TransUnion SmartMove Pricing

Tier

Starting price

Screenings

SmartCheck Basic

$25 / report

ResidentScore(R), criminal background report

SmartCheck Plus

$40 / report

ResidentScore(R), criminal background report, credit report, eviction related report

SmartCheck Pro

$48 / report

ResidentScore(R), criminal background report, credit report, eviction related report, income insights report, identity check report

Pros

Transparent pricing with pay-per-report options?

Affordable industry-specific packages
Built-in dispute resolution tools
User-friendly interface

Cons

Limited international screening options
No customer support via phone

Why we chose it: GoodHire’s combination of affordability, ease of use and compliance support makes it a more accessible option for professional background screening. Said options cover a wide range of industries — from IT and banking to healthcare and nonprofits — or can be picked out to target only specific roles you need filled.
GoodHire also comes with several pre-integrated ATS and human resources information systems, such as FCRA compliance tools and adverse action workflows. Compliance tools are especially helpful for smaller organizations to mitigate the potential legal risks associated with employment background checks.

GoodHire Pricing

Tier

Starting price

Screenings

Basic+

$29.99 / report

SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist search, national criminal search

Essential

$54.99 / report

SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist search, national criminal search, unlimited county criminal search

Complete

$89.99 / report

SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist search, national criminal search, unlimited county criminal search, unlimited state criminal search, federal criminal search

What you need to know about background checks
Background checks are not one, but multiple processes undertaken to investigate a person’s past. These involve looking through public and private records for personal information, from identifiers like age, address and social media profiles, to more sensitive data, such as your social security number and credit history.
People carry out checks for a number of reasons. You may want more information on your new next-door neighbor, for example, or to verify that your date really is who he claims to be.
Alternatively, special background checks known as consumer reports may be used by employers or landlords to evaluate potential candidates and tenants. The same goes for people looking to hire domestic workers — including cleaning professionals and nannies.
You can can run a test by going to a background checking site and providing a name, phone number and/or other common identifiable information. You can even do a check on yourself! Doing so will show you what others would see when looking up your profile on one of these sites — and let you dispute any inaccurate information on you.
Types of background check searches
There are two types of background checks: those that comply with FCRA guidelines on consumer reports, and those that don’t. The latter are often called “people search websites” because the information found there cannot be used for the purpose of hiring employees or tenancy. Using them this way could lead to serious legal consequences.
The following are popular types of searches, reports or screenings that you might see on a background screening website and what they entail.

People search, reverse phone lookups, email lookups and address lookups are all types of simple background checks that are typically offered by non-FCRA compliant services. They often provide the same data on a person — the information you input serves as a “key” to find their profile on a platform’s database.
Criminal background checks involve looking through watchlists, sex offender registries, and court records at the county, state, national and federal level for evidence of a criminal history, such as misdemeanors, sanctions and felonies.
Verifications mostly focus on two fields: employment and education. Employment verification consists of obtaining information about someone’s professional history to confirm their resume or job application is accurate. Education verification works much the same way, but by looking for information on someone’s credentials or degree.
Position specific searches are useful for verifying that a candidate for a job post has the necessary qualifications. For example, you may request a drug screening for a federal position, or a motor vehicle record search if you are hiring drivers.
International reports cover different types of background check but are performed to vet people coming from other parts of the world.

These background checks may be offered as individual services or as part of a larger package of services.
Latest news
A recent federal appeals court ruling shows how errors can appear in employment background checks even when a screening company relies on official records. The case involved a job applicant whose report mistakenly included his twin brother’s speeding ticket after a state court database grouped the brothers under the same record. The Eighth Circuit ruled that the background-check company had followed reasonable procedures under the Fair Credit Reporting Act because it relied on the state’s official court website.
Washington’s expanded Fair Chance Act requirements begin July 1 for employers with 15 or more employees, with smaller employers covered starting January 1, 2027. The law limits when employers can seek or consider criminal-history information and requires employers that disclose a post-offer background check to provide written information about applicants’ rights and the state attorney general’s Fair Chance Act guide.

Best Background Check Sites FAQs
How long does a background check take?
A simple background check consisting of a people search probably won’t last more than a couple of minutes, or a day at most. FCRA-compliant background screenings, also known as consumer reports, can take longer — from one to seven business days depending on the information that you request.
How far back does a background check go?
Simple people searches can go back decades — as far back as the 1980s in some cases. How far back a background screening for employment or tenancy will go depends on the information you request and the state you request it from. For example, California, New York and Texas limit criminal record reporting to seven years, with some exceptions. A check on your credit or financial history may go back anywhere from seven to ten years.
How much does a background check cost?
A basic check that provides surface-level data mostly can cost as little as $0.95 for access to a person’s profile. An FCRA-compliant background check can cost anywhere from $10 to $100 for a single report, depending on what you request. A check that only looks at criminal history will be less expensive than a comprehensive employment check or a drug screening.
How do you know if you passed a background check?
You will know if you passed a background check after receiving a direct notification from the people who requested it. The FCRA requires that you are notified if adverse action is taken based on information found on your background check. Also, if negative information is revealed, the employer or landlord must notify you under the Fair Credit Reporting Act FCRA — you have the right to dispute errors.

Methodology
To pick the best background check services, we reviewed 20 background check companies based on over 40 data points grouped under the following categories:
Cost
We compared the prices of each background check platform, taking into account whether the service worked on a per-report basis or as a subscription service (or both). Price isn’t the end all be all — you get what you pay for, after all — but we favored companies with lower individual reports costs, less fees and a wider variety of plan tiers for those that had membership options.
Features
For basic background checks, or people search sites, we listed and compared the types of information each company includes in its identity verification profiles or reports, including full names, age, email, physical address and other personal identifiable information.
We did the same for FCRA-compliant services, but also considered the breadth of their individual report types, such as criminal reports, driving record checks, employment verification reference checks and drug testing. We favored companies that offered a greater number of these in addition to industry packages and add-ons like global watchlist searches.
Reputation
Many companies in the background checks industry have been the subject of legal actions, mostly relating to privacy. We carefully evaluated lawsuits found during our searches and highlighted those that were particularly relevant to consumers or involved regulatory violations. Do note that this research is not based on a comprehensive review of court records.
Customer experience
We evaluated each background check site’s user interface on web browsers and mobile apps (when applicable) to determine if they were easy to navigate and provided key information useful to consumers. Then, to see what customers had to say about each company we researched and read customer service reviews on the Better Business Bureau’s site.
Summary of our top picks
People search background check sites

TruthFinder – Best Background Check Site Overall
Instant Checkmate – Best for Unlimited Reports
BeenVerified – Best for Vehicle Searches
Spokeo – Best for Budget Searches

FCRA-compliant background screening sites

Backgrounds Online – Best Background Screening Site Overall
Checkr – Best for Pre-employment Screenings
TransUnion SmartMove – Best for Tenant Screenings
GoodHire – Best for Small Businesses

After previously promising to “cooperate fully” at any Congressional hearing on his work as Biden Administration COVID czar, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer all 111 questions by invoking the Fifth Amendment – and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says he knows why.“I will enthusiastically vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt,” Sen. Cruz declared Friday in an appearance on the Ben Ferguson show, discussing next Wednesday’s House Homeland Security and Government Affairs vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions, even though he had immunity, thanks to a blanket pardon from former President Joe Biden.After Fauci refused to answer even a single question at the Senate hearing, flashback videos and reports of the COVID czar’s several 2022 comments quickly appeared in the news and on social media.“I am very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee. I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything that I’ve done,” Fauci said at the time, when the specter of being called before Congress first appeared. “I believe oversight is a very important part of government structure and I welcome it and it can be productive,” Fauci said in one of several interviews raising the issue.But, at that time, Fauci was fearless, because he knew Biden’s Justice Department would never prosecute him, Sen. Cruz said in his interview.Any contempt finding is not self-executing, so the Justice Department has to agree to prosecute it, Cruz explained:“That’s why Fauci was not worried at all about testifying before Congress as long as Biden Justice Department was there, because they will never hold him to account for anything. “He felt completely protected and immunized and safe.” I will enthusiastically vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt.@benfergusonshow and I break down Fauci invoking the Fifth and what’s next on latest episode of Verdict. pic.twitter.com/fGetFhwtAi— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 31, 2026

Investors are seeing more signs that the bottom is near, if not already in.

N. Korea said an expanded U.S. military command in Japan made a regional clash increasingly likely and justified its nuclear weapons development.

President Donald Trump said Friday that Americans should be prepared for the fighting with Iran to continue, predicting Tehran would eventually “peter out” as U.S. strikes steadily weaken its ability to retaliate.Asked whether the back-and-forth attacks could continue until Iran was no longer capable of striking back, Trump said, “Yeah, sure, I think so. I’d be foolish to say no. You know, you always have to keep your guard up.””They’ll get weaker. They’ll get a little stronger, maybe. But they’ll get weaker, and then they peter out,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Maryland.ARMY IDS 2 VICTIMS KILLED IN JORDAN AIR BASE ATTACK; TRUMP: IRAN WILL PAY ‘MANY TIMES OVER’The remarks amounted to an acknowledgment that the five-month conflict could drag on, despite Trump’s claims that the U.S. has decimated Iran’s military and his optimism just days ago that renewed negotiations could produce a deal.”I think we just want to win,” Trump said. “We’re doing very well. We’re trying to be nice — as nice as you can be in a situation like that — but they’re being decimated.””They have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti-aircraft,” he added. “It doesn’t mean they don’t have any capability. They have some, but very little.”The latest fighting also complicates the administration’s earlier declarations that it had eliminated Iran’s ability to project military power. The White House said in April that U.S. forces had achieved the objectives of Operation Epic Fury, including destroying Iran’s Navy and its ballistic missile and drone capabilities. Iran has nevertheless continued launching missiles and drones at U.S. bases and threatening commercial shipping.TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE ENDTrump also said he was “losing faith” in the prospect of reaching a deal with Iran, accusing Tehran of lying about its negotiations with the U.S.”They do lie, and they do misrepresent,” Trump said. “All they do is make me angry.”The renewed fighting has left no clear end to the conflict as the U.S. approaches the November midterm elections, placing greater political pressure on Trump to explain how and when the war will end.Trump’s remarks came two days after the U.S. launched a heavy wave of strikes against Iranian military sites in response to missile attacks targeting American forces in the region. U.S. Central Command said the strikes hit dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets, including command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal defenses and maritime capabilities.The renewed exchange followed the collapse of an agreement Washington and Iran reached in June that was intended to end the fighting and restore commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Hostilities resumed in July after Iran attacked vessels transiting the strategically vital waterway.Trump’s pessimism marked a sharp shift from earlier in the week, when he said the United States was engaged in “very friendly negotiations” with Iran and saw “a good chance” of reaching an agreement. Iran denied that direct talks were taking place but acknowledged that mediators were relaying messages between the two sides.Oman, Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt have sought to revive the June agreement that was intended to end the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Those efforts have stalled over control of the critical waterway, sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program, while a new exchange of attacks has further dimmed the prospects of a deal.